Editor’s Blog: Randy Starkman

The outpouring of emotion over the loss of Toronto Star reporter and amateur sports expert Randy Starkman on Monday has been overwhelming. Too young. So great. Such talent. It goes on and on.

This also provides a look into the media world. While publishing companies go head to head in all-out wars for readers, while competition between reporters can be vicious, you can also see the respect and camaraderie that exists. Reporters always battle for the scoop, or to tell the best story. But we aren’t enemies – for the most part. And the true pros, the ones who do the work, who build the sources, who care, get the respect.

And while his colleagues respected and adored him, maybe no one put it better than Clara Hughes did in this post after learning of Starkman’s death.

“I can only say that whatever I do, in sport, in life, in this world as I know it and as it unfolds to me, I have been inspired by my dear friend Randy. That I am preparing for another Olympics without him seems incomplete. Randy always said to me ‘Hughes, what am I going to do when you quit?’. He knew months before I came back to bike racing what my intentions were and I trusted him to keep it a secret until the time was right. I trusted Randy with my life. With this loss all I can think of doing is to live these beautiful moments with a glimmer of his golden heart in mine.”

The stories from the London Olympics this summer will be told differently without Randy Starkman there for the lead-up and on the scene. Randy Starkman died at age 51.

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Rest in peace, Randy. We’ll miss you. Condolences to his family and friends are shared by athletes, journalists and readers across Canada.

I'm the Senior Producer of video for the Postmedia Network, an avid hockey player and a rep hockey and baseball coach. My career has taken me from general assignment reporting to Toronto City Hall to ... read moreEditor of the Toronto Sun, and managing national commentary for Sun Media. I like to disappear in the mountains in Kananaskis in the winter. Follow me @robeditsView author's profile